HAVE YOUR SAY: January 29

To the police officer racing into Starbucks at the Crown Isle Mall on Wednesday morning. Your acceleration and speed as you approached the crosswalk opposite the medical clinic was worthy of racing to an accident or some other emergency. I was the pedestrian walking my dog that was one step away from being in the crosswalk. I was not waving to say hello. I had my hand out and yelling for you to slow down. I understand the need for morning coffee, but I don’t want to become a statistic because you are late for yours. I have the utmost respect for the police and the difficult job they have, but there is no excuse for driving like an idiot. Please slow down in the mall. Thank you.

Encouraging that the BC Privacy Commissioner is investigating the installation of SPYWARE on the newly elected Saanich mayor’s computer without his consent. Apparently, this is the only B.C. municipal government that monitors keystrokes on elected representatives computers. It will be very interesting to learn if this was decided by the hired administrative staff or the outgoing mayor. In either case, this monitoring of elected representatives should be totally unacceptable to those who bothered to vote. Is it any wonder that few vote, when it’s apparent that the non-elected are making the key decisions? Could this happen in the Comox Valley?

I moved here in May of 2014 from northern Alberta. My daughter and her family came for a visit in July. As a new resident of Courtenay, I was overwhelmed with how welcome this community made me feel. During my daughter’s visit, my granddaughter who was two, lost her little blue bunny, Mi-Mi. My son-in-law did due diligence in backtracking all areas visited the previous day, including the beach at Qualicum, to no avail. He then scoured the stores for a blue bunny that looks the same, no luck. On the suggestion of one local resident, he went to the tourist centre to see if they had one in their collection of “stuffies”. Again to no avail. When discussing the crisis with the ladies at the centre, one stated her son had a blue bunny, and she would call him to see if he would part with it. Her young lad asked the name of my granddaughter, and then promptly replied that she could have it. His mom drove home to get the bunny while my son-in-law waited, and when she returned, the bunny was a twin to Mi-Mi. A little bigger, but identical in looks. Hats off to all residents of the Comox Valley, both young and old. Hospitality and care are both alive and well in my new land. Thanks so much to the young man who selflessly gave up his possession to make a little girl happy.

Call me cynical, but every time I read one of these “someone anonymously paid for my dinner” things I feel suspicious – is it the owners of the (always named) restaurants who put these in, hoping it will attract people to their place thinking they too just might get a free meal? I can’t understand why anyone would just go into a restaurant and pick some random party and anonymously pay for their meals. If you’re wanting to spend some money, surely it would be preferable to invite some chosen friends along and treat them instead? I would imagine anyone random that you treat is just as well off as you are or they wouldn’t already be there. Wouldn’t it make more sense to make a donation to the food bank instead, so someone really NEEDING a meal got one? Or find someone who is down and out and take them out for meal? This treating of people already well off enough to pay for their own meals seems like misplaced generosity to me.

Thanks to the many folks that helped me on Friday, Jan. 16. I was in a car accident that involved a hit-and-run on Dyke Road in front of the Gas & Go. Thanks to Willow, Shane, and the fellow who got her plate number, and the RCMP officer. Also to Brian, who waited with me after the accident. All your help assisted the RCMP in arresting the lady who drove away.

The Mountainaire Avian Rescue Society (MARS) has received numerous reports about an injured swan at the Comox Bay Farm on the bypass by superstore. We (MARS personnel) have tried twice to capture it without success. We have had several phone calls about the bird. We will still keep trying. We appreciate the fact that so many have contacted us about this bird – a community that cares.